The NRCC are seeking to tie NY-23 Rep. Bill Owens to President Obama, insisting the Democratic congressman is little more than a “yes” man for the commander-in-chief, who has seen his approval rating tank in New York – particularly in more conservative-leaning upstate.

Upon reading The Watertown Times report that Owens wouldn’t declare support for Obama’s 2012 re-election bid or to even say whether he believes the president will be successful next fall, NRCC spokesman Tory Mazzola released this statement:

“Rep. Bill Owens is not only trying to run from his loyal party-line record of tax hikes and more spending, but he’s also proving yet again that he’s willing to say anything to get elected. ”

“He may think that this pandering will help save him in 2012, but the reality is that voters already know that the Obama/Owens agenda has piled up enormous debt while putting few people back to work.”

Owens is on the NRCC’s 2012 congressional hit list in NY (and remember: we still don’t know what his already challenging and long-GOP held district will look like), and one of his failed Republican challengers, Matt Doheny, has already announced he’s running again and hired away the WT’s Jude Seymour to work on his campaign.

Owens wouldn’t have his seat if it weren’t for Obama’s decision to tap John McHugh to serve as US Army Secretary, and the subsequent intra-party GOP squabble between then-Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava and Doug Hoffman. He has managed to retain his seat since the 2009 special election, even weathering the GOP’s attempt last year to link him to another unpopular Democrat: Former House Speaker (turned Minority Leader) Nancy Pelosi.

Obama’s unfavorables outweigh his favorable in upstate, 54-43, according to the most recent Siena poll. So at this point, it’s wise for Owens, who has cast himself as a moderate, to distance himself from the president as much as possible as he heads into the 2012 cycle.

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